The Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao [right]

The Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao has commended Fiji on its economic progress, labelling the country an example for the rest of the Pacific.

Nakao is in Fiji ahead of the ADB’s annual meeting which is scheduled for the first week of May, where up to 4000 delegates are expected.

“The country has continued to make progress and the growth rate has been very stable and it has been more than three percent growth for almost 10 years, although there was some moment of difficulties because of natural disasters, cyclones and so on, but overall the economic conditions have been stable and I had a one hour discussion with the Governor Ali about economic issues the current account balance is well balanced.”

The ADB President has been in the country since Wednesday inspecting firsthand the venues in Denarau, Nadi which will be used for the ADB’s 52nd annual meeting of the Board of Governors.

Fiji is the first Pacific developing member country to host such an international forum.

The meeting is expected to be the largest gathering of the Bank and a unique opportunity for ADB Governors, government officials, the private sector, and development partners and experts to discuss critical issues and challenges facing the Pacific and Asia, with the meeting theme ‘Prosperity Through Unity.’

Meanwhile, the ADB President today earlier met with the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama as well as the Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

Discussions centered on ways ADB will expand and strengthen its partnership with Fiji.